Improvement in car-couplings



l. MCMUFITRY.l Car-Couplings.

N0 150 O69 PatentedAprrl2h1874.

v V////////////////////////////////////////d// Nrrnn STATES PATENT QFFIGE.

JOHN MCMURTRY, OF LEXINGTON, KETUOKY.

IMPROVEMENT IN CARCOUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 150,069, dated April 21, 1874; application filed January 26, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JNO. MOMURTRY, of Lexington, in the county of Fayette and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

The nature of my invention relates to an improvement in car-couplings; and it consists in a rubber packing placed in the mouth of the draw-head, around the end ofthe link, so as to always keep it poised level, and yet allow it to be freely moved in any direction. It also consists in the arrangement and combination of devices, which will be more fully set forth hereafter, whereby the coupling-pin is automatically operated, when the cars come together, by the foot-board on the top of the car, or any equivalent projection.

The accompanying drawings represent my invention.

a l) represent two cars, provided with the ordinary draw-heads c for coupling them together. Upon the car b the couplingpin d, which passes down through the link e, is made stationary, while the pin g on the opposite car is readily removable, and has the long rod or bar h attached to its top, so that the pin can be operated from the top of the car. Around the end of the link, in the draw-head ofthe ear b, there is placed a rubber packing, i, which grasps the link, and holds it poised evenly outward, so as to be always ready to couple with an adjoining car. This packing not only keeps the link poised, allowing it to be moved readily in any direction, but also prevents the link from being battered to such an extent when the cars' come together. From the top of the car a there projects a slotted plate, j, supported on its under side by the brace k, and which forms the rest for the bar or rod h, attached to the end of the coupling-pin g. To the top of the rod h is secured a slide, l, by means of a set-screw, m, the slide being formed, as shown, at its upper end, and freely adjusted up and down, so as to suit the distance it may be desired to raise the coupling-pin. The top of this slide passes v up through the slot in the vest j, and catches by means of its shoulders, a, made concave on the under side, over the end part o of the rest, where it hangs securely as long as it may be desired to keep the pin in an elevated position ready to couple. On the top of the car b is placed the usual foot-board 1, the end of which projects out beyond the end of the car far enough when the cars come together to strike against the slide and move it sufficienti y far to knock the shoulder off thepart o,where it has been hanging, when it instantly drops down thiolgh the slot, and the pin couples the two cars together. Instead of the footboard l, supported by the brace 2, any other suitable projection from the cars may be used. If so desired, the upper end of the rod may be extended upward, as shown at 3, Fig. 2, and the slidel 4 have a nib, 5, formed upon the under side, which will catch over the end of the rest, as just described. By means of the concavity on the under sides of the shoulders or nibs the slide will rest with perfect security upon the rest, against all shaking and jarring of the cars. Vhen it is desired that the cars shall not recouple when they come together, the slide is hooked on the nib of the rest next to the ear to which the rest is attached, where it will rest with perfect security, keeping the pin elevated and out of the way during the switching of the cars; and when it is desired to have the cars recouple, the slide is hooked on the outer nib, and will then automatically couple when the cars come together, as just above described.

It will be perceived that the set-screw, attaching the slide to the rod h attached to the pin g, strikes the under side of the rest, thereby preventing the point of the pin g being raised out of the draw-head, thus not only keeping it always in position to recouple, but also preventing the pin from being stolen, as is now done to the great vexation and loss to railroad e companies.

I am aware that rubber has been placed in draw-heads and made to extend beyond the mouth thereof, so as to forni springs to prevent concussion and jarring when the cars run together, and disclaim such use. My rubber is placed in a single draw-head only upon each car, and serves for the purpose of holdin g the link poised evenly outward, and `yet allow it to be moved in any desired direction.

Having thus described my invention, I claiml. The combination of the pin g and' rod h With the slide l, having the shoulders a to catch over the top of the rest j, substantially as set forth.

2. In a car-coupling, in Which the link is held stationary in one of the heads, a packin g, i, of rubber, placed around the end of the link to hold it poised evenly outward, the parts bein g combined substantially as shown and described. i

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of January, 1874.

JOHN MCMURTRY. Witnesses: y

EDWARD YOUNG, ROBT. A. HAYES. 

